Impressions Winter 2016

Celebrating Diversity, and Promoting Community Awareness, Understanding and Inclusiveness

The Crime Lab

Interviews with Sandhill Property Founder Peter Pau, Dr. Kenneth Fong, and County Supervisor Joe Simitian Bay Area Housing: Crisis and 49er’s STEM Day at the Levi’s® Stadium Opportunities Silicon Valley Arts: Silicon Valley Creates, Gregory and Angie Burns and More...

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CONTENTS

4 crime intelligence - Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Crime Laboratory 8 our housing crisis and why we must work together to fix it - Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian 11 A DAY AT LEVI’S® STADIUM - CHEVRON STEM BOWL @ 49ERS MUSEUM PRESENTED BY SONY

12 CUPERTINO HAS “FIRST WORLD” PROBLEMS - By Richard Lowenthal 12 who is building what in silicon Valley

14 bay area housing - By “The French Realtor” Catherine Hendricks 16 SOCIAL ACTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING 18 APAPA Leadership profile: Dr. kenneth fong 20 BAY AREA HOUSING: DO WE HAVE A CRISIs? 23 ARTS FOR ALL HUMANITY: SILICON VALLEY CREATES 25 HEAVENLY SOUNDS UNDERGROUND

26 INVESTING IN SILICON VALLEY COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE - By Marian Chaney, Your Realtor for Life! 27 SENIOR LEGISLATURE (CSL) - 35YEARS OF SUPPORTING SENIOR LEGISLATION

29 dressing up SILICON VALLEY: Interview with Peter Pau, founder of Sand Hill Property Company 31 kiss the ground you walk on Eco-friendly and comfortable floor technologies 34 the silicon valley studio: gregory burns and angie tan-burns

36 SHARE THE LOVE OF MUSIC: An instrument donation program to benefit East Palo Alto Schools 37 LESS IS MORE: THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT Cover photo: Lawrence/Monroe development in Santa Clara by James Gong

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Silicon Valley Impressions Team Advertise with us Don Sun | Publisher Please send all inquiries to: Beverly Lenihan | Editorial Advisor Ling Ling Kulla | Editor [email protected] James Gong | Chief Photographer Ragini Sangameswara | Graphic Designer or call (408)202-1080 Elizabeth Softky | Copy Editor and Proof-reader Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and interviewees. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Copyright notice: No part of this publication and/or website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. Silicon Valley Impressions owns all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing.

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 4 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM CRIME INTELLIGENCE SANTA CLARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S CRIME LABORATORY

Fire test - photo by Supervising Criminalist John Bourke Crime Lab Director Ian Fitch

T he mission of the Santa Departments of Campbell, Gilroy, for Julie’s murder, ending his long Clara County District Attorney’s Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, history of attacks on women. Crime Laboratory is to “provide Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo accurate scientific services that Alto, San Jose, and Santa Clara. The Forensic Biology/DNA unit meet the needs of the criminal in The Santa Clara County District justice community in the most In 1991, a 26-year-old accoun- Attoney’s Crime Laboratory has efficient manner possible. The tant named Julie Bucalo was found solved other old cases, some dating Crime Laboratory has earned dead, handcuffed on her waterbed, back to the 1970’s by using today’s and will maintain its reputation inside her locked one-bedroom technology. for impartiality, integrity, and cottage. During the initial investi- excellence through open communi- gation, a security guard who Aside from numerous movies and cation, objective evaluation of worked in the same building as novels relating to solving crime, evidence, and active participation the victim, Ralph Baldenegro, the public actually knows very in the forensic science profession. was brought up on charges, but little about this area of science. We are proud to be advocates for there was no evidence that he was The Crime Laboratory is accred- justice by pursuing truth through present when she was murdered. ited to international standard ISO/ science.” Police pursued other leads, but IEC17025 by the American Society noting solid emerged. It was filed of Crime Laboratory Directors/ The Crime Laboratory is deeply away as a “cold case”. Laboratory Accreditation Board rooted in the community and its (ASCLD/LAB), and has interna- work affects many aspects of the Twenty-three-years later, in 2014, tional accreditation in a multiplicity community. During 2014, a total the case was re-examined. The of disciplines. of 1,586 cases were submitted to biological evidence under the the Crime Laboratory, resulting in victim’s fingernails and from her The Crime Laboratory has many 2,600 criminalistics requests. Cases shirt were linked to Baldenegro. units utilizing various scientific were received from the Police He was finally brought to justice methods to solve crime, including:

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A crime lab with various equipment The Crime Scene Unit - can be universities, and the California experiments provided knowledge called by any law enforcement Highway Patrol. about what kind of evidence gives agency to be present at a crime forensic results (scientific tests or scene to search for and collect Chemistry/Trace - Since 2009, techniques used in connection with evidence, as well as documenting this laboratory has been active- the detection of crime) follow- the crime. ly working to reestablishing a full ing a fire. This information allows service trace evidence program. In better samples to be submitted to The Forensic Biology/DNA Unit - 2014, analysts completed training the laboratory, making the entire analyses DNA from blood, semen, in both glass and paint analyses. system more efficient. saliva, hair, fingernails, or pieces of Santa Clara County now has one of skin, and compares them with the the most complete trace evidence Digital/Multimedia Evidence Federal Bureau of Investigation’s sections in California. The unit can Unit: With the increased amount DNA database. analyze an assortment of evidence, of computer, financial , and other including hair, fiber, glass, paint, digital crimes, computers have The Comparative Evidence Unit- ignitable liquids, gunshot residue, become important sources of is comprised of the Firearms and and miscellaneous chemicals. evidence. In 2014, due to the wide Latent Print Processing sections. use of cell phones, they too,have The Firearms section compares During 2014, a total of 5,487 cases become a major source in solving firearms to spent ammunition were submitted to this unit from crimes. Digital and Multimedia collected at crime scenes, performs Police Departments in Santa Clara Evidence Unit personnel are distance determinations, calculates County, the Sheriff’s department, trained in data acquisition and bullet trajectories, and recovers California Highway Patrol as well recovery from various devices to serial numbers from firearms. as colleges and universities. see that justice is done.

The Toxicology Unit - is respon- Playing with Fire: The trace Camera ready: In August of 2012, sible for determining the level of evidence section, with the 24-year-old Juan Munoz walked alcohol and/or drugs in biological assistance of the Santa Clara into a Safeway supermarket in samples. During 2014, it analyzed County Fire Investigation Task San Jose and never walked out. In a total of 12,211 cases. The labora- force, in January 2014, did a fire the produce section of the store, tory receives blood alcohol, urine experiment to give criminalists the minutes after he arrived, he was alcohol, and drug cases from police opportunity to conduct experiments confronted and fatally stabbed once departments in Santa Clara County, on how different types of evidence by an ex-coworker, 27-year-old as well as the Coroner’s office, react to being exposed to fire. The Michael Howard. The confronta- the Sheriff’s office, colleges and information obtained from the fire tion was caught on video, so there

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 6 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM was no question of the identity of his shopping, and Munoz, pacing State University graduates about the killer. However, the case hinged the back aisle with the knife in his forty forensic scientists. However, on the intent of the perpetrator. pocket before attacking Howard the Santa Clara County Crime from behind and stabbing him once Laboratory only has three-to-four All surveillance video from in the heart. The jury eventual- positions open each year, which is the store’s forty-three cameras ly found Howard guilty of second typical of most crime labs in the was sent to the Video Analysis degree murder. The video was United States. On top of that, most lab. Criminalist Cordelia Willis invaluable in showing the actual of the local criminalists remain was able to track the locations events leading up to the crime. on the job for a long time. This of Munoz and Howard during career can be highly rewarding, but their time in the store. A video For the Sherlock Holmes at anyone who wants to get into this and maps were compiled using Heart: Generations have been field must think twice about job numerous camera views, showing inspired to be the next Sherlock availability. the movements of each of the two Holmes by popular literature, subjects in real-time to assist jurors movies or TV shows featur- ~ Source for this article: in understanding where the subjects ing scientists working behind Santa Clara County DA Crime were in relation to each other. the scenes in crime analysis. Laboratory Annual Report by But be warned - jobs are scarce. Criminalist Cordelia Willis and The jury got to watch the disparate The discipline requires intensive Crime Laboratory Director Ian activities of the two involved: training as well as on-the-job Fitch, PhD. Howard, as he calmly went about experience. Each year, San Jose

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Our Housing Crisis and Why We Must Work Together to Fix it - Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian

Santa Clara County Supervisor as getting hospitals to provide Under California Proposition 13 Joe Simitian is a familiar figure contracted services, provid- law, it makes more economic sense, in the community. He serves ing more urgent care clinics, in a short term, for cities to approve the 5th district, represent- and implementing good business retail and business than it does for ing Cupertino, Los Altos, Los management practices to help the housing. New housing develop- Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo county hospital to run efficiently. ment creates demand for schools, Alto, Saratoga, Stanford, and libraries, roads and other public portions of Sunnyvale and San His next healthcare goal is to services. So it’s more difficult for Jose. Making his “sidewalk office find better mental health servic- the city to approve new housing hours” in local Farmer’s markets, es for local children and teens than to approve new businesses. he conducts one-on-one interac- by allocating hospital rooms for tions with community members in these patients who currently have Businesses create jobs, therefore, an informal manner, discussing to go to out-of-area hospitals such over time, on a regional basis, issues and questions. Making sure as Contra Costa County or even we’ve created a tremendous job/ that the county operates efficiently, Sonoma County for in-patient housing imbalance. In the 90s, and effectively uses public funds, mental health care. the job to housing ratio was he has helped provide many widely six-to-one. At that time we had a available services at no or low In this issue, we interviewed Joe housing crisis, too. Today, we are cost. about the housing crisis in Silicon getting close to that crisis again. Valley to get his point view of For example, Palo Alto has three As a County Supervisor, he has possible areas for improvement. jobs per housing unit. That’s why three focuses: 1. Making sure the housing is so expensive there. county operates efficiently and Joe Simitian: The job-housing responsibly with public funds. imbalance in Silicon Valley is SVI: What do you think we need to 2. Working to make sure that the a challenge we cannot solve solve our housing crisis? County implements the Affordable exclusively at the local level. At Care Act in a thoughtful and the local level, residents feel the Joe Simitian: Without a larger robust way to serve the public well. pressure of high costs in housing, regional and statewide effort to 3. Ensuring that the public or but they don’t want more develop- balance the job-housing demands, constituents are well served in ment either. They don’t want to leaving it to individual cities to his district. On the Board of have high density population in make decisions based on their own Supervisors, Joe serves as Chair their cities, but they are against short-term interests will acceler- of The Finance and Government urban sprawl. The justification ate the significant job-housing Operations Committee, and Vice is that many new developments imbalance that we see today. Chair of the Health and Hospital are created for the high-income Committee. He has implement- population displacing the The regional level associa- ed measures to make sure that low-income population out of the tion of bay area governments, the County has available health- new housing development. RHNA, (Regional Housing Need care services for residents, such Assessment) quantifies the need for

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 9 housing within each jurisdiction bought a home in Palo Alto. Mary housing and cost of living. “There during specified planning periods. Hewlett’’s father, Bill Hewlett, are people in the communi- It’s not a very effective system. CEO of Hewlett Packard, bought a ty who want Google and It creates lots of aggravation and house in Palo Alto. Palo Alto at that Facebook to go to other parts frustration that the community time was not ethnically diverse, of the country and create jobs struggles with. With its mandate, but was genuinely economical- there. However, we also know there are more plans, but no ly diverse. Today, that econom- that we have an abundance housing. Ultimately, the long term, ic diversity is hard to come by and of jobs and economic activi- big picture solution has to come hard to maintain because those who ties that are not benefiting all at the state level, but that won’t be we consider are making a good sectors of society.” quick. living cannot afford homes here. We need to do better at linking job We need to have a replacement SVI: Is there any policy from the creation and housing. It’s difficult for the affordable housing funds government level can provide help? to ask Facebook and Google to that were lost when redevelop- build two million square feet ment agencies went out existence a Joe Simitian: Our problems are of facilities, and then ask these few years ago. The state has been unusual in that our housing crisis companies to build 3,000 houses slow to respond to that need. The is being caused by the fact that for jobs they create. However, private sector, in time, will respond we have too many jobs. In other we may see that change because to create more housing, but the parts of the country, especial- the situation is so dire that the market is not equipped to provide ly the Northeastern United States, companies may provide their the range of affordable housing the Great Lakes, and the Midwest own solution to house their own that the community and the region States, it’s hard to fathom and say employees. But even that is not needs in order to have a balance. no to high skill and high paying enough to solve a region-wide jobs in our community because crisis. SVI: Do you think it is the private they are driving up prices of sector’s responsibility to offer affordable housing?

Joe Simitian: If we want a permanent supply of affordable housing that accommodates every income level, we have to do some affordable housing development with the help from the govern- ment. It is the government’s job to focus on production and preser- vation of affordable housing. It’s not the private sector’s responsibil- ity to provide affordable housing. They need to do what is profitable for them to do, which is to provide housing for higher income levels.

I grew up in Palo Alto. My father was a high school teacher, and he bought our home in Palo Alto with his single income. My best friend’s father was a mechanic at SLAC National Accelerator Lab, and he also bought a house in Palo Alto. The father of our classmate, Joy Nicholas, a the daughter of a custodian at

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It is also a public safety issue. What happens when we have an earthquake or floods? The telephone-line repair man, the PG&E lineman, the cable man, the nurses, the fire fighters, the paramedics that serve our region all live in Tracy. It will take them Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian meets people at the local farmer’s market Many years ago we had company ~ In our last issue, we interviewed hours to get to us in case towns. Forward thinking Cupertino’s Mayor Sinks about of catastrophes. We have companies who want to grow their transportation in the Valley. He priced them out. businesses need their employees to is working on a multi-city effort live near their work. It’s a matter to establish a public transpor- of economic robustness that we tation network. Maybe we will have a place to live, we have sound see a similar joint-effort by other - Joe Simitian transportation practices, and not cities to solve our housing needs. force people to drive hours from We all need to be more creative, great distances to fight traffic and more open, and we need to work work here. together.

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A DAY AT LEVI’S® STADIUM - CHEVRON STEM BOWL @ 49ERS MUSEUM PRESENTED BY SONY

About 400 Bay Area 4th - 8th ported by Chevron corporation and the Common Core and Next Gen- grade students gathered at Levi’s® the 49ers Foundation. eration Standards. Stadium on December 9th, 2015 for the Chevron STEM Bowl, The multi-faceted day of learning The 49ers STEM Education Pro- presented by the 49ers Foundation included exploring the museum, a gram was established in July, 2014 and KPIX 5. Building on the 49ers Levi’s® Stadium STEM-focused by the San Francisco 49ers Foun- existing commitment to supporting tour, a movement lab, and a STEM dation, Chevron, Silicon Valley Science, Technology, Engineer- lesson that leveraged football as Education Foundation (SVeF), and ing and Math (STEM) education a platform to connect, inspire and the Santa Clara Unified School through an extensive field trip pro- engage the students. District. Currently, 120 7th and 8th gram hosted by the 49ers Museum graders explore learning opportuni- There were eight activity stations presented by Sony, and the 49ers ties at the Chevron STEM ZONE and students rotated every thirty STEM Leadership Institute, the at Cabrillo Middle School in Santa minutes, enabling them to experi- Chevron STEM Bowl is an educa- Clara. This six-year program will ence all elements of the day. Sta- tional program for Bay Area chil- expand into Santa Clara High tions included: Solar Energy 101, dren, promoting classroom, as well School in Fall 2016.STEM day Wireless Technology 101, LEED as hands-on education. Design 101, Football Forces 101, The 49ers STEM Education Pro- Stadium Design 101, Career Con- gram, the Denise DeBartolo Edu- nections 101, Football Math 101, cation Center and Chevron STEM and Game Day Motion 101. The ZONE, which opened along with experience was aligned with both Levi’s® Stadium in 2014, are sup- SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 12 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM Cupertino has First World Problems

By RICHARD LOWENTHAL

Compared to global issues of here and have their kids go to our us with a big traffic challenge. We terrorism, nationalism, climate local schools. That’s because our have three options to deal with change, fragile economies, elementary schools, high schools, traffic: 1) Don’t allow new people unemployment, and accommodat- and De Anza College are among to come to Cupertino to live or ing Syrian refugees, Cupertino’s the best in our state and the nation. work, 2) Accept worsening traffic, problems don’t seem so bad. Those schools are attracting more or 3) Come up with innovative families and more traffic - our ways to address the traffic problem. Issues in Cupertino stem from population has increased by more having booming employment and than 7% in the last five years. We should embrace our success great schools. in job creation and education but Our school districts have done address the traffic challenge. We The biggest challenge we have is a masterful job of continuing to must invest in transit and smart Apple’s success. Apple Campus improve in the face of popula- growth. We should expect our 2 will bring 12,000 new jobs to tion growth. In fact, the more city leaders to balance homes Cupertino. The jobs are good; the people that live here, the better our and jobs to shorten commutes, customers it brings to our retail kids do and our schools continue and add transit options so that we businesses are good; the tax income to improve in State performance stop clogging our roads. The most it brings to Cupertino is good; and rankings. promising transit options for us then there’s the traffic, and that’s are shuttles and rail, and we need not so good. We are fortunate indeed to be a leadership from our city and county great place to work and a great officials to bring us those traffic The other big problem we have place to go to school, but it leaves solutions. is that everyone wants to live WHO IS BUILDING WHAT in silicon valley

We have compiled a list of residential sites that are in planning or construction. The list consists of only 100 units and above developments. CONSTRUCTION Zone CUPERTINO

Address Developer Number of units Main Street Sandhill Property 120 Apts.

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MOUNTAIN VIEW Address Developer Number of Units 400 San Antonio Road Prometheus 605 Apts. 2268 El Camino Lennar 204 Multi-family Units 1984 W. El Camino Real UDR 160 Apts. 1720 W. El Camino Real Prometheus 162 Apts. 801 W. El Camino Real Greystar 164 Apts. 865 E. El Camino Real Lennar 150 Units residential 100 Moffet Blvd., Prometheus 184 Apts. 500 Ferguson Drive EFL Development 394 Apts. FREMONT Address Developer Number of units 37070 Fremont Blvd., BHV Center Street Properties 185 Apts. 42111, 42183 Osgood Road Silicon Sage Builders 93 Condos Valley Oak’s Old Warm Spring Blvd 785 residential units Lennar Warm Springs Lennar 2214 residential units Toll Bros Warm Spring Village 1001 residential units State Street TMG/Regis Homes Bay Area 157 residential Units SANTA CLARA Address Developer Number of units 45 Buckingham Dr. 66 N. Saratoga Ave. Prometheus 222 residential units 3610 and 3700 El Camino Real Essex Property 476 residential units 90 N. Winchester Blvd., Summerhill homes 110 single family, 165 senior Apts. 3515-3585 Monroe St. The Irvine Company 825 Apts 900 Kiely Blvd., Prometheus 793 Housing Units 3229 El Camino Real Citation Homes 133 Apts. 2611-2655 El Camino Real Summerhill homes 186 Apts.

SUNNYVALE Address Developer Units 1095 W. El Camino Real Sobrato 175 1120 Kifer Greystar Real Estate 535 2502 Town Center Lane Quattro Realty Group 292 311 Capella BRE Properties 280 660 W. El Camino Real Summerhill Homes 103 WHO IS BUILDING WHAT in silicon valley 1044 East Duane Taylor Morrison 132 1101 N. Fair Oaks Ave. St. Anton Partners 97 455 Mathilda Ave. Urban Housing Group 105 457-475 E. Evelyn Ave Prometheus 117 520 E. Weddell Raintree Partners 465 610 E. Weddell SRGNC MF 205 620 E. Maude Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition 121 affordable housing 710 E. Evelyn Ave DR Horton 192 871 E. Fremont Ave De Anza Properties 160 915 De Guigne Watt Investments 451 955 Stewart Irvine Company 186

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B A Y AREA HOUSING: A REALTOR’S VIEW R elocation specialist and realtor that prices stabilized instead of many expensive homes have been Catherine Hendricks calls herself dropping. purchased for cash, yet nobody “The French Realtor”. Catherine lives in them, and they have no has helped her clients get settled To understand this market better, renters. One explanation is that in into their new lives in Silicon you have to realize that the San Asia especially, these homes are Valley for over fifteen years. Francisco Bay limits the size of usually considered a good invest- Having relocated from France, land available for housing. Still, ment, and an easy way to access Catherine brought with her an people from all over the world good schools in the United States. extensive background in public come here every day, attracted However, all these houses sitting relations and marketing communi- by tech companies like Google, empty have taken away housing for cations. Today, she is known as a Facebook, Linkedin, Square, Box, people who live and work here and, great listener and highly-valued as well as . in the meantime, making real estate partner in any real estate transac- They’re also enticed by the prices sky rocket. tion, especially among the expat good schools and an amazing community in Silicon Valley. quality of life. According to a For all these reasons, the real estate new Employment Development inventory in Silicon Valley is very Over the years, Catherine has Department report, the Bay Area limited, and often leads to multiple gathered an extensive network added 17,300 jobs during October offers on homes with upwards of of professionals such as lawyers, 2015. 20 to 30% price increases in some bankers, and mortgage and communities. insurance brokers around her, At the same time, you also have giving her a complete set of experts a population that has been living Are there tips on when or how to to help her clients navigate the in Silicon Valley for 60 years or find good deals? Silicon Valley real estate market. so, who were able to buy their homes for what would be consid- “Like everywhere else, the market Catherine works and resides with ered a steal today, many going also works in cycles, with ups and her family in Palo Alto, and is very for between $20,000 to $30,000. downs. From late November to involved in her community. We These homes are worth two to late January, before the Superbowl, interviewed her to learn about how three million dollars right now. homes tend to stay longer on the the real estate market has been However, most of these owners market, with sometimes lower doing in past years, and where she won’t sell because they are afraid prices. I know that a lot of people sees it heading next. of the capital gains taxes they take a ”break” from real estate would have to pay. There are ways during that time, but for buyers, it On the so-called ”Bubble” and to ease these concerns, but most may be a good idea to keep looking why this market is so different: people resist consulting profession- for a home when there is less als regarding this issue. Another competition around. From February “With some variations of course, concern is where would they move until summer, the market usually the real estate market as it is today to if they wanted to stay in the Bay goes back up, with the usual has existed on and off for the past Area after selling their home. slowdown in August. fifteen years. Yes, there was a kind of a rough patch for the market Another issue for the market is Then there is the “off market” in 2008-2009, but what it really the existence of so-called “ghost phenomenon, where a home meant, here in Silicon Valley, is towns”. In some neighborhoods, does not get listed on the official SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 15 realtors’ database (the Multiple Street in Mountain View. They for range from $1,500,000 to Listing Service). A limited number usually start looking for something $2,000,000. ” of realtors know about the trend they can’t afford, with a budget and are in charge of finding of $800,000 to $1,000,000, then What do you think will happen in potential buyers. It is usually not change their minds, especial- the next two years? recommended, as there is way ly since between Menlo Park less visibility for the seller. There and Mountain View, these type “Interest rates are going to go up, are no open houses for example, of properties tend to go for which will affect some segments of and the house may be market- $1,200,000 and up, depending on the market. Also, the up-coming ed to a smaller number of buyers. size and location. elections plus anticipated tax However, once again, with less reforms could have a substantial competition among buyers, if you Then you have people with impact on the market. Besides, as I are lucky you might find a hidden children who come to the Peninsula mentioned before, the Valley needs gem. for it’s great schools, and family- to expand, and it can’t do so in oriented communities. Many the Peninsula or in San Francisco, Another solution for buyers is to recently relocated European or for obvious geographical reasons. have a longer commute, and I see Asian families look for townhous- But there’s already a trend of tech many people now living in San es in communities with servic- companies moving to Oakland, Carlos, Oakland or even Danville, es like pools or tennis courts, or and a lot of people don’t hesitate in order to be able to afford bigger for detached houses in sought- to commute from the East Bay, the properties for less. This, of course, after neighborhoods. Their budget San Joaquin Valley or even Santa creates traffic for our community. might go up to $1,600,000 when Cruz. I think in the next few years they start, but in reality, prices for we are going to see a lot more of Who are your clients and what the type of home they are looking these trends.” are they looking for?

“Many of my clients are first- time owners in the United States, meaning they are expats who usually already own property in their home country. They get transferred here by their company, or come on their own to find a new Silicon job. They then discover the reality of the rental market in Silicon Valley and often want to buy a home, which can prove difficult for them. The prices are steep, of Valley course, but also, as expats, most of these future owners do not have any credit history here to help them get a loan. Europeans are also sometimes surprised by the Builds wooden construction of the houses in California. I also have Millennials as clients. on These are younger childless couples who usually want to find a home close to shops, restaurants, and mass transit, with the possibil- ity of walking everywhere. They tend to buy condos or townhous- es, around downtowns like Castro

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 16 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM Social Action for Affordable Housing T he current region-wide housing crisis has left many medium-to- low income families unable to rent or buy a house. Many of the area’s professional population, including teachers, firefighters, and nurses, have been priced-out, leaving them with no alternatives except purchasing affordable homes that are hours away from where they work.

Not only they are losing precious time with their families with long commutes, but communities are being put at risk when emergen- cy personnel don’t live close by. Art work by Melissa Klein This large displacement cannot affordable housing units in housing conditions. www.acceac- go unaddressed. Here are ten San Mateo; supported afford- tion.org social action organizations in the able housing at the former Bay Bay Area who are taking a stand Meadows race track site; supported Residents Insisting on Social for these invaluable community the opening of 89 units of low cost Equity for Fremont: RISE is members. family housing and a full range of a coalition of 52 organizations representing more than 28,000 Urban Habitat: promotes afford- services for people at risk; won $18 Fremont families. RISE advocates able housing near job and public million for the Santa Clara County stronger renters’ protections such transit areas, organizes against Office of Affordable Housing. as rent control and just cause for displacement of low-income www.piapico.org/aboutus.html eviction. www.risefremont.org households, seeks economic and Alliance of Californians for social justice for minority popula- Community Empowerment: The Housing Leadership tions in cities ,and advocates for promotes changes in housing Council of San Mateo County: rent control. http://urbanhabitat.org policy in Oakland, helps protect promotes the building and preser- vation of quality affordable homes. Peninsula Interfaith Action: homeowners facing foreclosures, HLCSMC is a strong advocate holds public hearings to increase and advocates for tenants fighting increasing rents and unstable for Development Impact Fees and

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 17 commercial linkage fees. www. The Housing Trust of Silicon Just Cause Evictions. Its Residents hlcsmc.org Valley: provides loan and United Network (RUN) aims downpayment assistance for to create a statewide advocacy The Palo Alto Housing low and moderate income home movement for affordable homes. Corporation: develops, acquires, buyers; provides loans for develop- http://ebho.org and manages low and moderate ers building affordable rental units income housing in the Bay Area for seniors, working families, the The UC Berkeley Urban such as the City of Palo Alto’s homeless, special needs popula- Displacement Project: is a Below Market Rate (BMR) tion, and individuals and families research and action initiative of Program. Currently, they oversee moving from homelessness or the university in collaboration with development and/or acquisition of unsuitable housing into permanent researchers at UCLA, communi- over 600 units of rental housing. sustainable housing. It has facilitat- ty based organizations, regional www.paloaltohousingcorp.org ed over 20,000 affordable housing planning agencies and the State of opportunities from Palo Alto to California’s Air Resources Board. First Community Housing Gilroy. www.housingtrustsv.org The project aims to understand (FCH): is a Public Benefit Housing the nature of gentrification and Development Corporation. FCH East Bay Housing Organizations: displacement in the Bay Area. It has provided more than 1,300 (EBHO) is an interfaith organi- focuses on creating tools to help units of affordable rental housing zation working to preserve and communities identify the pressures throughout the San Francisco Bay replace affordable housing resourc- surrounding them and take more area for low-income families and es lost through the elimina- effective action.” www.urbandis- individuals, senior citizens, and tion of redevelopment agencies placement.org special needs populations such as in early 2012. EBHO advocates the chronically ill, the mentally for dedicated statewide afford- impaired and the developmentally able housing funds, and promotes disabled. www.firsthousing.com Tenant Protection Ordinance and Residents, affordable housing advocates, workers, faith-leaders, and community members gathered to demand a strong housing impact fee in Oakland! Courtesy: East Bay Housing Organizations

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 18 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM APAPA LEADERSHIP PROFILE: DR. KENNETH FONG lung and skin cancer, patients now Dr. Kenneth Fong, Ph.D, is the have higher survival rates, and the Chairman and Founder of Kenson treatments have much less side Ventures, LLC, a venture capital effects. The extension of immuno- firm that provides funds and therapy to a greater number of strategic advice to biotechnolo- cancers will most likely result in gy start-ups and companies. Prior higher survival rates and tolerable to this, Dr. Fong founded Clontech levels of side effects. Laboratories in 1984, a molecular biology company that grew to 400 SVI: What are your biggest employees, with annual revenues of achievements? $80 million dollars before merging with Becton Dickinson in 1999. Dr. Fong: My former company, Clontech, provides technolo- He received a bachelor’s degree gy for isolation of genes. This in biology and chemistry at San helped people working in biotech Francisco State University, and a 2012 to 2014. He also promised a matching fund to build a monument to study genes involved in disease Ph.D. degree in molecular biology formation. Our technology was at Indiana University. at Gold Run, a former settle- ment of early Chinese laborers used in the biomedical communi- in California, to recognize and ty such as universities and biomed- Dr. Fong is also is a dedicat- ical companies. Armed with the ed philanthropist and communi- commemorate those who lost their lives during the construction of knowledge of human and animal ty activist. He has volunteered genes, today the industry is able much of his time and resources the United States Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago. to develop new treatments and to promoting cultural understand- medicines. ing of Asian Americans. He is SVI: You have spent your entire the secretary of APAPA’s (Asian After that, I spent fifteen years Pacific Islander Public Affaris career in biotech. What do you think are its biggest achievements? as a venture capital investor, Association)national board. He working with the next genera- supports the 80-20 Initiative, a Dr. Fong: One of the biggest tion of entrepreneurs to build and non-partisan organization whose develop their companies in the mission is to win fair representa- achievements in biotech is person- alized medicine, which treats biotech field. I used what I learned tion of Asian Americans in political from my own experiences to help appointments. patients with specific drugs based on the individual’s genetic makeup. potential entrepreneurs succeed. I have since helped cultivate quite He also supports local education- In the past, cancer patients used the same kind of drugs regard- a few entrepreneurs to develop al and cultural institutions through their companies successfully (six donations to the Y.C. Fung less of their genetic profile. Cancer treatments involve small molecule mergers and acquisitions and two Bioengineering Auditorium at IPOs). This is gratifying to me U.C. San Diego, scholarships at drugs, chemical therapies, and radiation. These treatments are because these successful entrepre- San Francisco State University, the neurs are in turn helping other Chinese Historical and Cultural designed to eliminate cancer cells, but also killed lots of healthy cells. younger people to be successful Project, and the senior service entrepreneurs, and the cycle repeats agency, Self-Help for the Elderly. itself. Dr. Fong was a trustee of the Side effects from these treatments often make cancer patients lives California State University system I am also very involved in from 2006 to 2013. miserable. In the past, most cancers were treatable, but not curable. community work - it’s a natural extension of my career. I use the Dr. Fong helped select three With the development of immunon- cology using antibody therapy to same result-oriented business presidents of Asian descent for approach. I would target a specific California State universities from target specific cancers, especially SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 19 project, assess the probability of massive scale within a generation. for things to happen, but to move reaching the pre-set goals and then ahead to assume their share of I keep focused on those goals. The knowledge based revolution leadership and responsibility. Community work requires the needs a large supply of engineers similar kind of skill set and leader- and scientists. India and China SVI: What do you think the future ship as in business to succeed. The happen to provide a large supply of Silicon Valley will be? only difference is that you don’t get chain for Silicon Valley to tap into. Dr. Fong: As Silicon Valley is a paycheck. It is at the right place and the right time in history that this conflu- the world leader in creating new SVI: What do you look for when ence of opportunities and supply technology enterprises, there will you select companies to invest in? of intellectual labor forces meet. be increasing interactions and As in the past, the immigrants connections between China and Dr. Fong: I invest in people. I look always showed up in America, and India as developing nations while for people who have the following America has the heart and tradition the U.S plays the role of the five characteristics: to welcome them to create opportu- developed world. This kind of nities for all the world to enjoy. linkage is complementary in nature Energy: I invest in people with high and eventually will develop into a energy. In the competitive field of Indian and Chinese immigrants mutually beneficial relationship. A technology and business, one needs share many similarities. The case in point is Apple’s iPhone that to work long hours and tirelessly younger immigrants, armed with was designed and invented in the pursue perfection. Without energy, the knowledge of the newest United States, assembled in China, it is hard to advance further. technologies, are hard-working and and is now increasingly dependent ambitious to create new enterprises. on China for its market share Competence: I invest in the people Nearly 40% of the new companies and expansion. As the technol- who are among the best in their here are started by either Indian or ogy markets steadily develop in fields. Chinese immigrants. There are also China and India, more American differences. Indians are represent- talent will be attracted to those two Focus: To succeed, one must be ed in much higher managerial countries for opportunities. This focused and strive to be number positions than the Chinese because trend may happen slowly over the one or two in the chosen niche they speak English before they next ten to twenty years. market. arrive here. America is always a haven for new Persistence: A person with passion Their English skills, coupled with technology and enterprises, and is persistent and keeps coming their desire to debate and speak as long as this spirit of attracting back despite failure. up for their rights, have made it the best and the brightest to join possible for them to rise in the the immigrant class remains with Leadership: Good leaders have American executive hierarchy policy makers in Washington D.C., vision and charisma. They can because the United States is more the future for Silicon Valley looks attract people to follow him or her. receptive to this kind of assertive bright. The higher the vision, the bigger leadership style. On the other the business. hand, Chinese immigrants cultur- Silicon Valley is a great place ally are not so ready to challenge because many people have invested SVI: What do you think makes or question authority. Many remain here financially, emotionally, and Silicon Valley unique? engineers. If they ever want to intellectually. We recognize that realize their dreams, they must the greatness of a community is Dr. Fong: Silicon Valley, and become entrepreneurs and form inseparable from its people. increasingly, San Francisco, are their own companies. the epicenters of the knowledge- based revolution that has produced However, Chinese immigrants have household names like Apple, something to learn from Indian Google, Facebook, Intel, Cisco, executives in their assertive leader- Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. ship style. If they believe they can No other place in the world had this make Silicon Valley a better place, monopoly of distinction on such a the best thing to do is not to wait

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Patterson Ranch Development, Fremont CA Bay Area Housing: Average rental prices for apartments listed by cities: San Francisco: one-bedroom for $2896/month and two- bedrooms for $3653. San Jose: one-bedroom for $2410/month and two bedrooms for $3019/month. Cupertino: one bedroom for $2476/month and two bedrooms for $3128/month. Santa Clara: one bedroom for $2440/month and two bedrooms for $3068/month. Palo Alto: one bedroom for $2545/month and two bedroom for $3282. Mountain View: one bedroom for $2500/month and two bedroom for $3193. Sunnyvale: one bedroom for $2477/month and two bedroom for $3139. Milpitas: one bedroom for $2422/month and two bedroom for $3034. Fremont: one bedroom for $2261/month and two bedroom for $2759. - October 2015, data by Rent Jungle https://www.rentjungle.com

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Photo by James Gong

Photo by JAMES GONG Do we have a crisis? Bay Area median home sales prices: Palo Alto: $2,682,000, East Palo Alto: $625,000 Menlo Park: $2,010,000 Atherton: $5,400,000 Woodside: $2,600,000 Mountain View: $1,745,000 Los Altos: $2,725,000 San Jose: $850,000 Saratoga: $2,300,000 Los Gatos: $1,635,000 4/1-12/07/2015 data by Paragon Real Estate Group http://www.paragon-re.com Fremont: $855,000

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The Grand Hotel Silicon Valley’s Elegent Boutique Hotel

865 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 800-786-0827 | 408-720-8500. fax: 408-720-1997 | http://www.svGrandHotel.com

Located in the , Grand Hotel amenities include: Hotel in Sunnyvale is just 20 minutes south of SFO, • Daily Hot Breakfast Box nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley. Grand Hotel is • Cocktails and Hors d’ oeuvres served in the independently owned and offer some of widest array Lounge daily of amenities extended to any hotel guest that stays in • Wi-Fi the area. • Business Center Access w/ complimentary The Grand Hotel has newly renovated room printing so the guests can enjoy extra comfort and space. The • Access to Local Health Clubs Grand Hotel also have suites with Kitchenette where • Special Rates for Luxury SUV service to and you can cook a simple meal for your family. Welcome from San Jose International Airport and home! San Francisco International Airport • Daily Parking​

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Arts for all Humanity: Silicon Valley Creates

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. –Margaret Mead”

SVCreates is a network of thoughtful, committed leaders dedicated to enhancing Silicon Valley’s cultural and aesthetic quality of life. With over 30 years of history in supporting the arts, SVCreates says “Yes, we can” to changing lives through arts and creativity.

Two years ago Arts Council Silicon Valley and 1stAct Silicon Valley merged to become SVCreates. Today, the reinvented organization is thriving with a long list of accomplishments and exciting future projects in the pipeline.

A sampling of SVCreates’ contributions to our community includes:

~ The Artist Laureate Program has awarded 148 Fellowships to local artists and invested over $400,000 in their work.

~ The ArtsEdConnect program has created a “market place” for teachers that have increased access to arts education. Launched in 2012 partnership with the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, over $200,000 in mini-grants have been awarded to teachers that benefitted over 10,000 students.

~ ArtSPARK, a partnership with the Silicon Valley Symphony, has provided a full day of multi-cultural art programs to over 80,000 elementary school children.

~ Artsopolis, an arts and culture calendaring program, serves 45 communities across the nation with over 200 partners and millions of arts consumers who use its cultural content daily.

~ The Studio provides a multi-media lab for over 1500 students annually.

~ The publication of Content Magazine (acquired in 2015) has raised the visibility of our creative culture and has launched Content LABs, a series of bimonthly networking events, hands-on experiences, networking opportunities, presentations, and portfolio reviews by leaders in the creative industry.

~ The transformation of the in into the School of Arts and Culture at MHP has provided after school classes, summer camps, holiday celebrations, ethnic dances, festivals and has brought joy, learning, and a sense of belonging to thousands of children and families.

With such a rich and diverse portfolio of accomplishments, what will 2016 bring? We were excited to speak with SVCreates CEO Connie Martinez about their 2016 priorities and challenges.

SVI: SVCreates has been involved in so many exciting projects over the past few years. What are your plans for 2016?

Connie: We are all about making arts relevant to our unique community. We understand that “technology and innovation” is the main event in Silicon Valley and to that end, we want the arts to be in service to the main event, which means an emphasis on cultural heritage, participatory arts, children’s creativity, innovation and place Connie Martinez, CEO of Silicon Valley Creates

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making. We want to be the organi- million naming opportunity for the team in early 2015. Together we zation that builds and leverages new Center. are driving the development of a partnerships between our multicul- companion app, growing distri- tural, high tech community and our Secondly, SVCreates is leading an bution and increasing opportuni- arts and cultural ecosystem. effort to build a Creative Center ties for “creatives” to gather and for the Arts in Japan Town. This network through Content Labs and In 2016 we plan to stay the is a mixed-use development that Pick Up Parties. course with our capacity building includes housing, retail, a park programs and advance three major plaza and our center. Our vision is SVI: You mentioned the culture initiatives. to strengthen our arts and culture of Silicon Valley, which creates ecosystem through shared servic- unique challenges and opportuni- The first is Imagine VMC. We es and back office solutions, below ties for the arts. What does it take are helping Valley Medical CenterConceptual Planmarket rehearsal, studio and office to be a successful arts organization here?

CCA BUILDING Connie: First of all context is

NORTH RESIDENTIAL BUILDING important. Our region is relative- ly young, extremely wealthy and well educated, having attract-

SOUTH RETAIL/ RESIDENTIAL ed people from all over the world. BUILDING We are a “valley of immigrants” connected to some place else. We grew to global acclaim in record speed because of our technology and innovation combined with our start up, entrepreneurial culture. N O R T H 6 T H S T R E E T Our rapid growth accelerated a suburban development pattern that VIEW FROM THE PARK CCA Concept: Artist Rendering of Creative Center for the Arts ultimately “grew into” our region’s largest city, San Jose. Septembertransform 24th, 2015 - Conceptual Design a Presentation 300,000 square ft spaces, and a place forCreative Center individual for the Arts, Japantown San Jose 87 Women and Children’s Center artists and organizations to collab- All of these factors influence the by infusing spaces with arts orate and advance their work. Our health and well being of our cultur- and creativity. Our vision is to core resident partners are San al ecosystem. We don’t have a demonstrate the healing power of Jose Taiko and CreaTV. We are dominant culture to rally around. the arts, replace fear and anxiety also partnering with the develop- Our energy is dispersed across our with wonder and joy, build er Related California and the City suburban built environment, our community and create a sense of of San Jose, whose plans include philanthropy is global right out of place. Working with the Valley the gift of land and infrastruc- the gate, we are “hands on” tinker- Medical Center Foundation, we ture to our project valued at over ers aligned with digital culture and have helped raise $10 million to $5million. In 2016, we are launch- participatory arts. There is a reason date and have recruited a network ing a $25million fund raising that the Maker Faire and Burning of fourteen culture partners (eg campaign with the hopes of Man appeals to a large segment of Palo Alto Jr. Museum, Monterey breaking ground in 2017. our population. Bay Aquarium, History San Jose, Children’s Discovery Museum and Lastly, we are focused on develop- New money acts differently than Tech Museum, etc) to join us in our ing a sustainable business model old and we don’t have the tradition- “community barn raising” efforts. for Content Magazine and leverag- al social elite that has historically Our plans include new and existing ing its assets to raise the value and funded the arts in America. Rather, art works, interactive exhibits, visibility of our creative culture. we have the technology elite who redesign of spaces and iconic are trying to drive global systems public art installations. In 2016, we Daniel Garcia, the founder of change through their philanthro- are focused on design and initial Content Magazine and creative py. As a result, the majority of implementation and securing a $15 entrepreneur, joined the SVCreates our foundation, corporate and

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 25 individual giving leaves the region. a balanced and diversified portfolio “It is in Apple’s DNA that technol- And innovation invites “churn”, so of earned and donor income. ogy alone is not enough—it’s constant change makes it difficult technology married with liberal to hold people’s and organization’s We believe that the arts play an arts, married with the humanities, attention and commitment. integral role in the health and that yields us the results that make well-being of our region and that our heart sing.” - Steve Jobs, in So bottom line - in order to thrive there are endless opportunities to introducing the iPad 2 in 2011 in Silicon Valley, an arts organiza- make a difference through the arts, tion needs to do things differently. Silicon Valley style. Everything We salute SVCreates efforts to Our offerings have to be relevant we do plays to the strength of our strengthen our culture ecosystem in to our demographic. We need to diversity and innovative culture. Silicon Valley. What we do for the communicate and build web like There are excellent examples of arts extends beyond our region and relationships the way our culture what works across our multicul- our generation. The power of the does to attract, grow and sustain tural and traditional arts organiza- arts is universal and an expression audience and supporters. We need tions. SVCreates is simply trying of our humanity. to be entrepreneurial in the way to strengthen our cultural assets we run our organizations – from already in place, increase access to scrappy good to scrappy great— the arts and raise the visibility and and we need to “lean market”, with value of our creative culture. HEAVENLY SOUNDS UNDERGROUND

Photo and story: John A. Swearingen

I heard the clarinet before I saw it. Someone nearby was playing the sweet, soothing notes of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Lady. Its lovely sound became louder as I approached the elevator in BART’s underground station at the Embarcadero. jazz musician having played all constantly changing parade of over the United States. Fondly he people appreciative, friendly and Drawing nearer I saw it was recalled how he had been given a generous. Some of them have being played by an elderly black big break tears ago in New York become good friends. He has no man seated on a folding chair. by music critic John Hammond, a plans to change this sustaining, Charmed as a serpent I stopped Vanderbilt family-wealthy talent daily routine. to linger awhile in this thorough- scout who loved American Negro ly pleasant, mesmerizing experi- jazz and helped individual talents As a crowd gathered he began ence. When consciousness intrud- join major orchestras, mostly in playing the opening notes of ed I went up and conspicuously Harlem.. When those orchestras Hoagie Carmichael’s Stardust. dropped a couple of dollars into waned in the last decades of the Glancing at my watch brought the his open cashbox. Then, I backed 20th century Don struck out on disappointing awareness that I must away and took several photos. I do his own, eventually settling in San be moving on to the Ferry Building photography. Francisco about 20 years ago. to catch the Sausalito ferry.

After finishing the song he looked He finds the underground BART I was sad as I rode the elevator up at me and offered conversation. His stations entirely to his liking. He to street level and emerged into the name was Don Cunningham and is sheltered from the elements, bright sunlight of a less pleasant allowed as how he was a lifelong the acoustics are superb, and the time.

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Investing in Silicon Valley Commercial Real Estate: A Snapshot of Office Building Market at the beginning of 2016 - By Marian Chaney, Your Realtor for Life!

Marian Chaney, DRE # 01937247 (408)805-6680 / (650)383-7388 employment now stands at a record Developers and investors are doing [email protected] one million jobs while unemploy- what they can to meet the growing www.MarianChaney.com ment is down to just 3.8%. The demand for office space in the Your Realtor for Life! Bay Area now has the highest labor Silicon Valley. Currently more than force on record, and the best job 6 million square feet of office space A s a commercial real estate agent growth among the 51 metro areas is under construction, with total at Keller Williams Commercial and in the nation with at least 1 million potential development reaching a CCIM candidate, I keep a close residents or more, fueled by a tech more than an astounding 47 million eye on the trend of commercial companies that are continuously square feet in the form of proposed real estate market in the bay area, growing. developments. Recent new especially in Silicon Valley, where completions include Samsung’s my family and I live and I do most The office market in the Silicon North San Jose 680,000 square foot of my business. Not only do I Valley ended 2015 with a vacancy build-to-suit project on North First pay attention to numbers, but also rate of 7.5%, down slightly from Street, and two buildings preleased actively go out to meet other agents the 7.7% rate recorded in Q3 and by Netflix in Los Gatos totaling and developers – unlike residential substantially lower than the 9.6% 242,500 square feet; which the agents who find majority of listings reading of one year ago. The 7.5% developer, Sandhill Properties sold on MLS, commercial agents learn vacancy translates to 5.7 million to CBRE Global Investors for a about deals mostly through owners square feet (msf) of availabilities reported $179 million. directly and other colleagues. down from 6.7 msf from one year I’m honored to share some of my ago. Even with more than 6.4 msf In Q4 of 2015, the largest leasing learning with the readers of Silicon of new office space added over deal in the Bay Area was done in Valley Impression, and this first the last 12 months, local vacancy the Silicon Valley. A confiden- issue we will focus on office space. levels continue to decrease as most tial tenant pre-leased the 777,000 of this new development is either sqft project from Landbank At the close of 2015, Silicon Valley in the form of build-to-suits (bts) or Investments in Sunnyvale. Also remains the nation’s strongest job speculative projects that are being contributing to the record gross market. Employment in the region leased up prior to delivery. Office absorption for the year was a large has increased substantially since space average rent also climbed user sale. Broadcom purchased the beginning of the current cycle; in Q4 to $3.89 per square foot four buildings in North San Jose the region has added over 154,700 on a monthly full service basis, totaling 573,000 sf. Included in jobs since Q1 2011. Total regional up from $3.51 psf one year ago. the sale was expansion land where SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 27 an additional 500,000 sf can be well-located, modern buildings new space at speculative develop- built. Other notable transactions with long-term tenancy in place. ments to be leased up at a fairly include Facebook (210,000 sqft in The balance of the construc- quick pace. Meanwhile, look for Menlo Park) and Visa (62,000sf in tion should be completed in 2016 rents to continue to climb into the Palo Alto). Not showing any signs which may result in a slight uptick first quarter of 2016. of slowing down, Apple leased of vacancy. However, demand another 200,000 sqft in North San remains extremely strong for class If you need help to purchase or Jose. A product and there are several lease office space, my team and large tenants in the market looking I would provide consultation and Investor demand for office space for space. The Silicon Valley shows help to locate the space for you. remains robust, particularly for no signs of slowing. We expect California Senior Legislature (CSL)-35 Years of Supporting Senior Legislation - By Lauren Rolfe S ince 1989 the California sponsored by CSL include reinstat- Senior Legislature (CSL) has ing the Property Tax Deferment been proposing senior supportive program that allows deferment of legislation and acting to get that property taxes until the low income legislation signed into law. To date senior is no longer living in the the organization has successful- home, helping to prevent senior ly promoted 210 laws that favor or homelessness. Perhaps one of the support seniors and their families. more immediately successful bills It is an organization of 120 senior has been the Silver Alert program (age 60+) volunteers represent- that uses the existing Amber alert ing every part of the state. While network to notify the public and CSL is a State created organiza- first responders when a senior with tion, it receives no funding from dementia or dementia like disease Lauren Rolfe lives and volunteers the State. All efforts are support- is missing. In its first year of in Solano County, Ca. She has a ed through donations, primarily operation the program returned 149 degree in Organizational Behavior through a tax exempt contribution seniors to their families. This year’s and Rehabilitation Administra- on the California State Income tax SB128 or End of Life Options bill tion. As Vice President of Human form-line 427. is a CSL sponsored effort. Services for Goodwill Industries of Greater East Bay she oversaw Successful CSL sponsored CSL amplifies the voice of seniors Training, Employment, and Human bills focus on protection of within our state Legislature. Resources. She began working with elders. Examples are AB40 by Seniors make up nearly 16% of seniors as the Executive Director of Asm. Yamada requires mandat- California’s population, but those Solano County IHSS Public Au- ed reporters of elder abuse to who take care for and about seniors thority. Lauren also volunteers as report evidence of physical injury comprise a much larger segment of California’s Chair/Past Chair in the within 2 hours of identifying it our population. CSL also updates California Senior Legislature and to both APS and to law enforce- supporters on key legislation “We Vice Chair of the Solano County ment. Another example is SB 1018 want to give our supporters timely Senior Coalition and Chair of its and SB 33 which make financial updates on when their voices can Elder Abuse Committee. Lauren institutions mandated reporters make a difference.” states John lives with her husband of 49 1/2 of financial exploitation or abuse. Poiner, current Chair expensive, years. AB 1525 requires elder financial more compassionate and more abuse training for employees of effective ways” to deal with issues For current legislature priorities money transmitters in an effort in California. CSL is all about please visit our website: to eliminate Scam operations that finding such methods to deal with www.4csl.org. target seniors. Additional bills the rising senior issues in our great state. SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 28 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 29 DRESSING UP SILICON VALLEY Interview with Peter Pau founder of Sand Hill Property Company

I f you love great architec- ture, you probably cannot wait for the new Apple Campus 2 by Foster + Partners, or the Heatherwick Studio’s (London) new , or the Nvidia’s new Polygon Structure by Gensler(U.S.A), to materialize and shake the mundane architec- tural landscape of the Silicon Valley. There have never been so many internationally well known architects working in our area before with incredibly creative, beautiful, and mind-blowing plans.

No one would have dared to think of these concepts ten years ago. However, we cannot help but feel a sense of regret that these buildings are the corporate offices of highly prestigious tech companies. They take up large areas in our communities, but many of us will have no access to them. We cannot meet friends, hang out, or visit because we don’t work there.

If you believe that our communi- ties and neighborhoods also deserve a place just as beautiful, fanciful or cool to wander and walk around, there is hope. SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 30 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM

Downtown Los Altos is going an effort to diversify it for a requirements, and each firm came through a three-year long facelift. downtown look. Since most up with its own ideas. We select- ’s new downtowns are built over different ed Rafael Viñoly’s design. Vallco large-scale renovation is underway, periods, we wanted each building is one of the most important works and with the timely opening of to be customized. Since I prefer for me and for Rafael because there Main Street Cupertino, we are a certain building style, to mix are so many innovative and risky excited that we too will have a various styles means that I had aspects that challenge traditional place to meet. At this time of great to accept some styles that I was architectural modes. architectural opportunities, we not used to. However, the results had the chance to interview Peter pleased me. SVI: What ultimately do you want Pau, founder of Sand Hill Property to achieve with Vallco? Some Company to discuss real estate For example, the large restau- people make developers appear to development in Silicon Valley, and rants facing Stevens Creek have be greedy. What is your personal the ‘wow-factor’ of his proposed the agricultural look to mimic fulfillment in this project? project, The Hills at Vallco. the feeling of the wine country. The new Target building will be Pau: I want to do something that I SVI: You and your firm have spectacular. I purposely looked for can be proud of, and the communi- developed quite a few exciting an architect who does not special- ty can be proud of as well. The architectural projects in the Bay ize in retail. Without the conven- Hills is very challenging, but at the Area. Which are your favorites, and tional retail constraints, he has end of it, I can forsee something why? created a building that is bold and wonderful for the community- a attractive. place where people can meet and Pau: I like most of my buildings. enjoy visiting in Cupertino. When BridgePointe (formerly Fashion We also built the Whole Foods this happens, I will know it will be Island Shopping Center) has two Market in Cupertino, a 67,000 sq. a success. sides. The front side faces the feet store. It was difficult since it parking lot and the back faces the needed to be built sideways but still As I have come to the final stage of freeway. Typically most architects have the storefront visible from my career, I want to do something do not design the back of a Stevens Creek Boulevard. We also different. When I was younger, I shopping center, and nobody tries built the Whole Foods store on El had more financial constraints. I to make that look interesting. For Camino Real in Los Altos. When had to pay the bank loans. I had to this project we paid attention to all Whole Foods approached us, I told pay the construction company. I sides and it came out beautifully. them that the site was too small - had to make sure that the proper- there wouldn’t be enough parking. ty was occupied. Now, I don’t mind The Tree Farm in Los Altos, taking risks. I don’t have to be safe which is currently occupied by Whole Foods came back to say and conservative. I can simply LinkedIn, is a large structure, but that the parking could be in the build the best. I really want to offer the architecture is articulated with basement. This is the first time I something for the community to intricate details so people don’t feel realized that a grocery store could love and to cherish for many years overpowered. have underground parking. Whole to come. I am a Christian and I am Foods has been wonderful to deeply involved in my faith. I was Our new design for1050 Page Mill work with. They are very creative taught to care about the communi- Road in Palo Alto won an interna- people. They try to have individu- ty. So how the community can tional award even before it was al styles and characteristics in each benefit from what I do is the most submitted to the Palo Alto Planning of their stores. This has been very important aspect of my pursuit. At Commission. Many people who costly but the results have been the end of the day, I want peace have seen the plans have given us great. of mind when I ask myself “Did good reviews and they appreciate you do the right thing for other the fact that we broke away from The Hills at Vallco project was people?” the traditional Stanford Research designed by one of the world’s Park architectural scheme. best architects. We sponsored an Vallco will be an expensive project. international design competition. If I were greedy and only wanted Main Street Cupertino was a challenging project. We made We didn’t specify the design Continued on page 32 ...

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SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 32 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM

Continued from page 30 ... Street Cupertino in 2007. The year before, there was a major referen- dum which defeated the housing development proposed by the previous developer due to concerns over schools. The Cupertino City Council and staff suggested us to do senior housing instead, as there would be no impact on the school district.

We proposed four different segments for the Main Street project: senior housing, hotel, retail, and offices. Then the 2008 recession happened and everything stopped. When the economy began The new Netflix building in Los Gatos by Sand Hill Property Co. with joint-venture partner to recover, Cupertino City staff the Carlyle Group asked us to get started again. Since to make money, it would be much tenants who can do well for a long there were four different segments, easier for me to build office time. each segment was to be financed buildings and apartments in many by a different bank. Since I had cities rather than doing something The City of Cupertino hired outside never done senior housing before, difficult like revitalizing Vallco. consultants. The outcome of their the banks I worked with would not study matched our conclusion, so finance the senior housing segment, Rafael showed me correspondence we agreed to reduce the number meaning we had to sell off the from people in different parts of of retail spaces while making sure senior housing to another developer the world about The Hills at Vallco new businesses wouldn’t fail. for it to be financed. project. He said this is the most important project he has ever done. SVI: Who are good retail tenants? The City Council and staff were His firm has received internation- What retailers do you have in mind concerned that coordinating differ- al recognition and expressions of for The Hills at Vallco? ent pieces of the project with good will for his design. With so different developers would be much support, the effort will be Pau: We are looking in Europe too difficult. They wanted to see worthwhile. and Asia, as well as other parts us finishing the project in one of the world to bring good retail complete piece. So together, we SVI: Many people want to keep companies to Vallco in order to came up with the idea to change Vallco as just a shopping center. create more interesting shopping, the senior housing to regular What do you think about that? dining and entertainment experi- apartments so we could get it ences. We hope to find something financed and built along with the Pau: It’s not that we don’t want completely different from the usual rest of the project. In the meantime, retail, since we are retail develop- chain stores, I hope Vallco will not we were requested by the City ers. If we think that retail works, have all the same stores as many Council and staff to build more I would love to have more retail other shopping malls. office spaces. However, we did spaces. Retail rents can be higher not change the retail and the hotel than office rents. However, too SVI: People have accused you components. much retail will not work. With of cutting out senior housing on the high turnover and competi- Main Street Cupertino and that What is unfair is that some people tion in the retail industry, we need the elements were changed in have said that we changed things to have the right size and the right secret. Can you address these secretly. How could we do things stores. The Hills at Vallco will have accusations? in secret? Every major plan change 625,000 square feet of retail space, has to be reviewed by City staff, the appropriate critical mass. We Pau: There has been a lot of the design committee, and differ- want to attract good retail tenants, misinformation. We started Main ent public agencies, as well as

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 33 outside design consultants, the office spaces at the end of 2015 SVI: Our interview with Peter City Council and the Planning and the beginning of 2016. The Pau has concluded, but there is Commission. We always have to go hotel will open at the end of 2016. no conclusion on The Hills at through public hearings and all the The apartments will be done in Vallco. Think of what the plan has results are made public. 2017. The City staff would like to to offer: beautiful architecture and have a grand opening ceremony for landscaping. The world’s largest We started Main Street Cupertino Main Street, but I am not sure if it sky park. An orchard, a vineyard, before the recession and it took us is possible since different parts of 3.8 miles of trails, a new K-5 eight years to finish. During this Main Street will open at different Elementary school, and an innova- time, we had thirty to fourty public times. tion center for our high school hearings in order to show project students, as well as interesting elements and to get approvals on SVI: After almost fourty years of retail and excellent restaurants. our designs. Some changes were developing real estate in Silicon made by us. Some changes were Valley, what is important for you We will have no need to fight traffic initiated by City Hall. For anyone now? and struggle with parking to get to claim that we could make to . With the Apple 2 changes behind closed doors is just Pau: I would like to spend the last Campus, Main Street Cupertino, using their imagination. few years of my career building and then The Hills at Vallco, our good community relationships, and city will be dotted with award SVI: When will the grand opening doing a few more great projects. I winning architecture, internation- for Main Street? want to show people that real estate al cuisine and chic and hip stores. developers are not all evil. I am Cupertino will finally have some Pau: Main Street will open in Chinese first, a Christian next, and culture and night life. However, we stages, starting with Target in then a developer. It is important for have to work together to make it October, 2016. Most stores will me to do things right and be a good happen. open between Spring and Summer example. 2016. Apple will move into the

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 34 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM

The Silicon Valley Studio: Gregory Burns and Angie Tan-Burns

Depart: Gregory Angie-Tan Burns Joint work I nternational and Bay Area artist Cupertino. I attended Foothill and kets to smell and observe all the Gregory Burns has local roots. His De Anza Colleges, where I started exotic foods and spices. Eventually, wife, photographer Angie Tan- my Paralympic swimming career, in 1984, I joined a one-year San Burns, (featured photographer for, and honed my skills as a contempo- Jose State International Program to “The Burning Man”, Silicon Valley rary artist. study Chinese painting, calligraphy and art history in Taiwan. This was Impressions Summer 2015) on the Little did I know that far away, other hand, has her roots in Asia. the beginning of my Asian journey in the Malaysian State of Sabah, a that has lasted over 30 years. Together they have established tiny girl named Hsiao Hsing would roots in Cupertino and Singapore. be born nine weeks prematurely to In Taipei I studied under famous Despite contracting polio as a parents of Chinese ancestry. Per- local masters and began to under- child, and ambulating with braces haps because the doctors thought stand the importance of developing and crutches, Gregory has com- she might not survive, she fought one’s character as well as one’s peted in four Iron Man events, and to prove them wrong and came into artistic ability. How both would set five world records in swimming the world with the tenacity of a be visible through one’s brush during three Paralympics. With tiger. strokes fascinated me. Wielding a Angie’s support, Gregory shares his bold brush with intention based on Her father, an artist and educator, the rules of Chinese calligraphy, experiences and inspirations with would one day be a founding mem- many people through his motiva- expanded the boundaries of my ber of the Singapore Modern Art Western art aesthetic. Riding my tional speeches and encourages Society. A year after Hsiao Hsing’s others to go beyond self-imposed motorcycle through Taipei’s crowd- birth, the family would board a ed streets lined with elaborately limitations to live creative lives. Chinese junk and make the treach- In this issue, we are delighted to written store signs deepened my erous, long crossing to the newly appreciation for the written word share their story with you as told independent country of Singapore by Gregory. even though I could not understand where the family settled. Her most of it. Since my father was born in Oak- mother would raise three strong land, it was only natural that fol- children as the new country also In Singapore, Hsiao Hsing would lowing his successful career in the took its first steps as a nation. grow up spending far more time away from home than under the U.S. State Department, he settled My fascination with Asia began our family in the Bay Area after watchful eyes of her parents. She with the Encyclopedia Britan- loved adventuring around the still having living overseas in Lebanon, nica, which had pictures of ancient Palestine, France, Germany, Hol- virgin Singapore countryside. She Chinese courts with elaborately excelled in arts and sports, studied land and New Zealand. We initially costumed emperors and vassals. On resided in Mountain View before graphics arts and took up wind- Castro Street in downtown Moun- surfing. Since she was hanging moving to Los Altos and eventually tain View, I visited Chinese mar- SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 35

participants during these interactive sessions. I recently spoke to the 6th through 8th graders at the Bullis Charter School in Los Altos. Along with stories about how my parents worked tirelessly to raise me as an empowered and independent child, I also tried to stress the fact that failure in life has its place and that though we must strive to do our very best, falling down is how we learn to stand up and carry on. Both Angie and I draw inspira- Gregory Burns and Angie-Tan Burns tion from nature. Last year, along out with many Westerners at her corporate world and began dual with another friend with a physical windsurfing club, she changed her careers as a contemporary painter challenge due to a bicycle accident name to Angie. and motivational speaker. We never he’d suffered three years earlier, looked back. Together we have we set out to trek 35 kilometers Following my studies, I embarked climbed mountains (the Grand across four peaks in the mountains on what was supposed to be a Canyon amongst others), scuba of Ladakh, India. Along the way, summer backpacking trip through dived with mighty manta rays in besides scrapping our way up and China. After trekking across the the Maldives, backpacked across down narrow rocky, scree-sub- Middle Kingdom for two months, Europe for months at a stretch and merged trails, I managed to create as well as spending two weeks in generally live a big, fulfilling life four large paintings that symbol- Tibet painting in the mountains together in Singapore and Cuper- ized our endeavor. They are: Set and monasteries, I took a five-day tino. your Intention, Find a Tribe, Climb bumpy bus ride to Nepal. Once Mountains, and Carry On and Keep there, after more painting and trek- One of our first and most memo- Walking. king, summer was over and it was rable experiences together was the either time to go home or carry on. 1996 Atlanta Paralympics where “I can see no other reason I competed for the USA Team in for the existence of art and As India was only another 24- swimming. Prior to the Games, poetry and religion except as hour bus ride away, I carried on, Angie perfected her culinary skills they tend to restore in us a spending the next year backpack- and fueled me for all the training ing throughout the sub-continent, freshness of vision and more required which enabled me to set emotional glamour and a across Pakistan and then over the world records in the 100 Meter Karakorum Mountains and back Backstroke and two USA Team Re- more vital sense of life.” - into Western China before making lays. It was such an exciting feel- Lin Yutang. my way to Taiwan. I’d been travel- ing for me knowing that inside the We congratulate Angie and ing for sixteen months, focusing loudly cheering crowd of 17,000 my attention on painting the reli- Gregory for their life together with fans was my family and life part- time for nature, time for imagina- gious and sacred sites I’d found ner. It ended with many medals and along the journey. tion, time for creativity, and time memories that we still share. for sharing. We look forward After living in Taiwan and later For two decades I have traveled following their adventures and Hong Kong for a decade, I found the world sharing experiences and discoveries. myself working for a multi-national motivational messages with multi- Please visit their websites: company in Singapore. A month national corporations and various later, I met Angie, the “angel” schools. I have been equally in- www.gregoryburns.com, who I have shared my life and spired by many of the thoughtful w ww.gregoryburnsinspire.com and adventures with ever since. Two questions I have been asked by www.angarts.com. years into our relationship I left the

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 36 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM J INSTRUMENT DONATIONIMN EVENT BRINGS THE GIFT OF MUSIC TO EAST PALO ALTO SCHOOLS

T here will be more “music in the air” in East Palo Alto thanks to the collaboration of several communi- ty organizations. On Sunday December 20, 2015, Ivymax Foundation in Cupertino, The Cupertino Rotary Club, The East Palo Alto Rotary Club, and Silicon Valley Impressions Magazine held a Share the Love of Music event at IvyMax Foundation: Liang Peng, Helena wang, Cupertino Rotarian Don Sun, East Palo Cupertino Community Hall. They Alto Rotary President Elizabeth Jackson, Live in Peace Director of Arts and Music Justine gathered to celebrate the collection Phipps, East Palo Alto Rotarian Ivan Temes, Cupertino Rotarian Jerra Rowland, Melonie of 60 used instruments for East Brophy, Wendell Stephens, Hung Wei, Orrin Mahoney, and Savita Vaidhyanathan Palo Alto school children and the Live in Peace organization.

The event was launched by The Cupertino Rotary Club Youth Service Committee leaders Don Sun and Melonie Brophy, and District Governor Elect #5170 Orrin Mahoney, along with East Palo Alto Rotary Club President Elizabeth Jackson, and Rotarian Ivan Temes. The majority of the Members of the Cupertino and East Palo Alto Rotary, IvyMax Foundation students, and instruments were collected by the city officials of Cupertino and East Palo Alto IvyMax Foundation student club. IvyMax Foundation Cupertino High School District Trustee, Hung IvyMax Foundation and both student clubs IMPCS and Wei, Cupertino Rotary President Rotary Clubs also collected $7500 Nanoseed each donated $500. The Wendell Stevenson were also in cash donations to be given to $5,000 donation made by IvyMax present. One speaker lauded Share East Palo Alto schools to pay for student Si Chen will be distribut- the Love of Music as “meaningful, art supplies and music instru- ed equally to each East Palo Alto kind, and community building.” ment repairs. Of the $7500 total school. The remaining $2500 will The Share the Love of Music event donation, $5000 was donated by be used for various music programs was covered by NBC BayArea IvyMax student and founder of in that community. News, the Palo Alto Weekly, Mission of Arts, Ms. Si Chen. $500 Cupertino Mayor Barry Chang, the San Jose Mercury News, the was donated by Pastor Xiong Ruan Vice Mayor Savita Vaidhyanathan, Cupertino Courier, the World of Home of Christ 5 in Cupertino, East Palo Alto Mayor Donna Journal and Tsing-Dao Daily. and $1,000 by the East Palo Alto Rutherford and former Mayor Lisa Rotary Club. Gauthier attended. Fremont Union

SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM 37

LESS IS MORE, THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT

Marc Kulla

W ith the housing prices in the bay area literally going through the roof, most people cannot afford to buy or rent a home near their work or where they desire. There is a new movement that is taking shape and is going to be a saving grace for many of us and for our future generations. It is a social movement of people who are choosing to live in smaller homes to reduce environmental and financial impact, and in return have an increase in freedom and time. Courtesy of thetinylife.com

The average Tiny House is between living room area, kitchen area and available. If you are more futuris- 100 and 400 square feet, whereas bathroom. Is it really possible to tic, it is also available. the average home in the U.S. is live in such a small space? It is, just less than 2600 feet. Giving and the choices that we have now The number of architectural plans up space in our home is not as are incredible! The variety of Tiny as well as complete Tiny House daunting as it may sound. Just walk Houses is growing with new home manufacturers is a moving target as into IKEA and see how they have styles available almost monthly. more and more companies enter the setup a “home” in about 175 square If you like a Victorian style home, market. Wheelhaus, a well-known feet that includes a bedroom area, there’s one available. If you manufacturer based in Wilson, WY prefer the rustic look, there’s one has many models to choose from. SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016 38 SILICONVALLEYIMPRESSIONS.COM

Courtesy of EcoCapsule: Tiny house in a capsule

Courtesy of Wheelhaus, tiny Courtesy of Wheelhaus, tiny house exterior house interior The original Wheelhaus model, collection techniques. One futuris- The Wedge, is an elegant display of tic design that is getting quite a how 400 square feet can be used. bit of press is based in the Slovak Each house consists of a bedroom, Republic. The Ecocapsule is billed bathroom, kitchen/living room, as as the “New way of sustainable well as a private deck. The exterior living.” of the home is covered in a rustic ranchwood siding. From the exterior you may wonder truly need and generally carries who would ever live in such an debt along with it? A quick Google The interior is elegant and modern. egg-shaped home? Many of our search on Tiny Houses results It could be found in any high-end young workers in Silicon Valley in 22 million results including a condominium in a major city. Can’t might enjoy living in this type of TV series based on this growing decide on the American made or home rather than renting a room phenomenon (Tiny House Nation). imported Italian tile? It’s much in a family home or living with 3 This is not a fad that will falter. easier when you only need a dozen other roommates in a small, outdat- This is the future of our society and or so of the tiles, not boxes and ed apartment. The Ecocapsule beats one that the Silicon Valley needs boxes that we would need for a living in RV’s and trucks to cut to clear hurdles to incorporate into typical home remodel. down on costs or more commonly our landscape. We must be forward renting an apartment making long thinking in ways that can incorpo- If a rustic exterior is not your style, commutes to the office. rate a new, young workforce into there is a huge range of options our community. between that style and futuris- Tiny houses are not for everyone. tic. Going futuristic also implies However, the growing interest Marc Kulla holds undergraduate that you will be self-sustainable in these homes should be a wake and graduate degrees in Computer for some of your natural resources. up call for our younger genera- Science as well as a graduate Electricity can be based on wind tion. Would we rather live in the degree in Education. He is a and solar power and heating and area we prefer in a smaller house, software engineer, entrepreneur, cooling can be built into the design or would we prefer to live hours parent, and is currently a middle of the home. Water can be supple- away from our work just so we can school teacher. He works and lives mented with built-in rainwater afford a home that is more than we in the Bay Area.

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SILICON VALLEY IMPRESSIONS | January 2016